Gutter screen fastener



' S 1al;.'.'10', l957 A. P. COUTURE GUTTER SCREEN FASTENER Filed Nov.21, 1955 INVEN TOR. 445.577 2 (aura/PE,

Elite States Patent Office 2,805,632 Patented Sept. 10, 1957 GUTTERSCREEN FASTENER Albert P. Couture, Detroit, Mich. Application November21, 1955, Serial No. 547,901 2 Claims. (Cl. 108-30) This inventionrelates to a gutter screen fastener, and more particularly to a novelform of mounting clip adapted for positioning upon relative shortlengths of gutter screen and also providing means for securing saidscreen to the gutter flange.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved gutterscreen mounting and fastening clip which is simple of construction andwhich facilitates and minimizes the short in mounting and securing asuitable screen along the length of a roof gutter or other gutter.

It is the further object of the present invention to provide a novelgutter screen fastening and mounting clip consisting of a pair of spacedplates interconnected intermediate their ends providing slots at theiropposite ends for respectively receiving portions of the gutter screenand portions of the gutter flange.

it is the further object of the present invention to provide novelinterlocking means within the clip construction for immovably securingthe clip with respect to the screen mesh.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specificationand claims in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a building roof with gutterand illustrating the mounting of the present screen and screen fastener.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational section thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the screen. and mounting clip; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely apredetermined embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments arecontemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawing, a portion of a building roof is fragmentarilydesignated generally at 11 and including at the upper end of the outerwall 13 the horizontally disposed molding 12. Overhanging in aconventional manner is the lowermost of a plurality of conventionalshingles 14 which, as shown in Fig. 2, partially overlap the innerportion of the gutter 15 generally indicated in Fig. 2.

Said gutter includes a conventional inner upright wall 16 and the outerpreferfomed and conventional outer Wall 17. Suitable tubular spacers 18of a conventional construction are interposed between wall 16 and theupper end of Wall 17 and nails or other fasteners 19 project through thesaid outer wall 17 and the said tubular spacers 1t; and extend through aportion of the molding 12 providing a conventional form for so mountingthe gutter.

In the preferred embodiment, the gutter is shown to include the inwardlydirected horizontally disposed flange 20 which is right angularlyrelated to the upper portion of the gutter front wall 17, and, as shownin Fig. 2, terminates in the reverse turned reinforcing strip 21.

Some gutters employ such reverse turned elements 21 for reinforcement,whereas others omit it entirely. The present invention is adapted foruse with either type.

In operation the present invention is used in conjunction with a seriesof elongated relatively narrow strips of Wire mesh 22, which may beapproximately two or three feet in length and which are adapted to restalong one longitudinal edge upon the outer course of the shingles 14,and may be tacked thereon if desired, though this is not essential. Y

The opposite longitudinal edge of the screening 22 is adapted toregister with the marginal flange 20 of the gutter screen and issuitably secured to the said gutter flange by the series of fasteningand mounting clips generally designated at 24 in Fig. 4.

In the preferred embodiment, it is contemplated that at least two ofsuch clips be used for each segment 22 of screening. For this purposethe outer marginal edge of said screen has formed therein arectangularly shaped slot 23, Fig. 3, of which, in the preferredembodiment, there are two. By the use of such slot, the fastening andmounting slip may be slidably projected over a substantial portion ofthe screening, as designated in Figs. 3 and 4, to thus leave only ashort portion of the clip at the free end thereof to receive themarginal flange 20-21 of the gutter.

The present fastening and mounting clip consists of a pair of elongated,preferably metallic, plates 25 and 26, which are arranged in opposedrelation with a suitable spacer 27 interposed therebetween. The rivet 23extends through the said spacer and is adapted for securing the saidplates together, as shown, said rivet being arranged intermediate theends of said plates and towards the one ends thereof, as shown in Fig.4.

. Accordingly, as shown, there is thus defined adjacent the oppositeends of the said pair of plates an elongated gutter flange receivingslot and respectively an elongated screen receiving slot.

Formed in each of the said plates 25 and 26 towards the opposite ends ofsaid plates, are a pair of cooperating dimples 29 and 30 arranged inregistry and with the lower of said dimples, namely, element 29,partially registering within the interior formation defined by dimple30. This construction provides an interlock adapted for retainingregistry within the wire mesh of screen 22.

Accordingly, as the said clip 24 is laterally projected inwardly of slot23, the dimpled portions 29 and 30 register with one of the openings ormeshes of the said screen to thereby partially and retainingly engagethe said screen against accidental dislodging movement. This anchors theclip with respect to the wire mesh or screening in the relative positionof parts shown in Fig. 3.

Accordingly, in the assembly of the pres .it clips, with the screening,this is done first. Thereafter it is only necessary that the said screenelements be laid down upon the gutter in the manner shown in Fig. 2 withone marginal edge resting upon the shingles 14 and with the oppositeprojecting edge of the clip as in Figs. 3 and 4, extending over andretainingly engaging the gutter flange 2021, completing the assembly.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the respective ends31 and 32 of the lower plate 25 are turned outwardly slightly to therebyprovide slightly enlarged entrant openings into the adjacent receivingslots defined by the said plates.

Referring to Fig. 4, the one end 32 of the lower plate 26 terminates inthe right angularly related upwardly extending flange 33 which isadapted for cooperative gripping relation with a portion of the troughflange elements 20 21.

This particular element renders the clip more complete and effects afirmer grip of the said clip with respect to the gutter flange. It iscontemplated, however, in some situations that the flange 33 could beomitted as, for example, Where thegutter flange 20 does not include thereverse turned reinforcing strip 21.

Accordingly, the present invention has thus provided a very simplefastening and mounting clip which may easily be assembled with respectto separate screening elements 22 of a predetermined uniform length andlaid down upon the shingles 14, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and joined tothe gutter flange as above described,

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the claimswhich follow for determining the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. A gutter screen fastening and mounting clip comprising apair ofelongated plates in opposed relation, a spacer between said platesintermediate their ends and arranged towards their one ends, a rivetextending through said plates and spacer, defining with said one ends ofsaid plates a gutter flange, receiving slot, and defining with the otherends of said plates a screen receiving slot, the ends of one of saidplates being bent outwardly with respect to the corresponding ends ofthe other plate providing enlarged entrant openings into said slots,said plates adjacent said other ends having outwardly projectingcorresponding dimples, one of which partially registers within therecess formed bythe other dimple, defining an interlock adapted forretaining registry Within the wire mesh of said screen, one of said oneends of said plates terminating in a substantial right angularly relatedflange extending toward the corresponding plate adapted for retainingengagement with said gutter flange.

2. The clip of claim 1, and an elongated gutter screen, one elongatededge thereof being adapted to rest upon an adjacent roof element, theopposite longitudinal edge of said screen having a pair of spacedrectangularly shaped notches adapted to cooperatively receive the saidother ends of said plates permitting said opposite longitudinal edge toregister with said gutter flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,803,431 Hill May 5, 1931 2,229,381 Grow Jan. 21, 1941 2,365,845Schweda Dec. 26, 1944 2,636,458 Harris Apr. 28, 1953 2,734,467 SteeleFeb. 14, 1956

